Public hospitals in at least 10 districts of northern Uganda do not have malaria drugs, with another 40 districts in the west and east on the brink.
Malaria is a leading cause of morbidity in Uganda and the shortage of drugs could plunge the country into a health crisis. Denis Kibira, the executive director for HEPS-Uganda, a health rights organization which advocates increased access to affordable essential medicines by the poor, says that a recent report from the ministry of Health found that 10 northern districts, which include Lira, Apac, Gulu, Yumbe, Adjumani, Nwoya and Amuru, had run out of malaria drugs.
He said malaria is fast spreading in the districts of Kamwenge, Kamuli, Iganga, Jinga, Hoima, Bukomansimbi, Namayingo, Wakiso, Tororo, Kyenjojo and Masaka because drug stocks have run worryingly low for the last three weeks to a month.
“If parliament or government doesn’t intervene quickly to provide anti-malarial medicines in public health centres, the [disease] will spread wide and more people are likely to die. In the private sector, anti-malarial drugs are available but very expensive and many people especially in rural areas can’t afford them,” he said.
Speaking during an advocacy and sensitization meeting for MPs at Imperial Royal hotel in Kampala on February 10, Ntwetwe MP Joel Ssebikaali said anti-malarial drug stockouts have been caused mainly by the National Medical Stores (NMS), which buys pricey drugs from Cipla Quality Chemicals Uganda Limited.
“Unlike private health centres, which buy coartem [anti-malarial], the first line treatment for malaria, at a subsided rate of 70 percent by Global Fund and the affordable medicine facility for malaria project, we also request NMS to get ways of subsidizing coartem so that they buy enough drugs which can be supplied in all public health centers to avoid drug stockouts,” he said.
Dan Kimoso, the NMS public relations officer, said they buy coartem from Quality Chemicals at a price fixed and approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to avoid buying fake drugs. He insisted however, that NMS- supplied drugs are not expensive.
“Since December last year, we had a shortage of anti-malarial drugs since we had a budget gap of Shs 40bn yet the government had a budget of only Shs 5bn. If there is no intervention by government, we shall continue to have stockouts especially of coartem,” he said.
Kimoso added that the ministry of Finance had since committed to give NMS money to buy drugs. HEPS boss Kibira said in the 2015/2016 financial year, the ministry of Health had a budget of Shs 100bn to buy anti-malarial, tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/Aids drugs (ARVs). Of that, Shs 60bn was for HIV treatment (ART), Shs30bn for malaria and Shs 10bn for TB drugs.
“But the current financial year, we have a budget of Shs 110bn, Shs 94bn is for ART, Shs 10bn for hepatitis B and less than Shs 6bn for malaria, which is very little and this has caused drug stockouts,” he said.
Dr Jimmy Opigo, the programme manager of the National Malarial Control programme at the ministry of Health, said drug stock-outs are life-threatening, more so, at this time when there are more malaria infections than at any other time in the past years.
Gulu municipality MP Lyandro Komakech said official statistics show malaria kills more people than terrorism each year. He said untreated malaria is a security threat, which government should take seriously.
MPs also advocated tax waivers for malarial testing equipment to avoid self-medication by untested people. They also urged government to continue sensitizing people on clearing bushes and stagnant water, where mosquitoes breed around their homes.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga said government should look beyond mosquito nets if it wants to fight malaria effectively since people spend much time outside nets especially during day and are bitten by mosquitoes.
“Spraying is better but the public health department which is in charge of community health programmes like spaying is nowhere to be seen,” Kadaga said.
Junior health minister Sarah Opendi urged politicians to avoid politicizing issues of malaria, drug stockouts and distribution of mosquito nets because malaria doesn’t differentiate among political parties.
“Malaria is still endemic in the country since 95 percent [of people] are affected by malaria and net distribution will start in high-burden areas with malaria such as northern and eastern Uganda,” she said.
Opendi said village health Teams will distribute nets and technical teams from Kampala will supervise the work.
SUMMARY ON ANTIMALARIALS STOCKOUTS
|
NO |
Health Unit |
ACTs |
Duration |
District |
|
1 |
Ayago HC III |
Stock out |
1 Month |
Lira |
|
2 |
Onywako H/C II |
Stock out |
2 Weeks |
Lira |
|
3 |
Barr H/C III |
Stock out |
1 Month |
Lira |
|
4 |
Agali H/C III |
Stock out |
1 Month |
Lira |
|
5 |
Barapwo H/C III |
Stock out |
2 Weeks |
Lira |
|
6 |
Biashara HC II |
Stock out |
3 weeks |
Apac |
|
7 |
Aduku HC IV |
Stock out |
3 weeks |
Apac |
|
8 |
Inomo HC III |
Stock out |
3 weeks |
Apac |
|
9 |
Apac Hospital |
Stock out |
12 days |
Apac |
zurah@observer.ug